


Infallible

by notenoughcoffee



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-29 14:43:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19402441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notenoughcoffee/pseuds/notenoughcoffee
Summary: Anna spends a lot of time on her own.





	Infallible

Anna sank deeper in her chair in the back garden, bringing herself to the edge of the seat so she could rest her head lower against the backboard. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms tightly around her middle, and sent out a silent prayer that no one would notice her presence. Blades of dried grass scratched painfully at her bare feet as she slid further from sight, making herself as small as possible to avoid being seen from the window looking out from the kitchen. She stayed in her position, still and imperceptible by the inhabitants of the house as their notes of laughter emanated out, ringing impossibly loud in the tranquility of the night, disrupting her solitude with reminders of what she could no longer avoid.

Katherine’s voice, high-pitched and animated as she recounted Anne’s latest blunder between fits of giggles, resonated loudest. In the twilit garden and in her thoughts.

Anne, attempting to thwart Katherine’s story with loud complaints of what had allegedly occurred, was drowned out by the laughter of Jane and Aragon. Joyous, exuberant, and radiant, their hysterics were in direct contradiction with the leaden, back-breaking weight pressing Anna downward into the particle board and driving the air from her lungs into the darkened sky.

Tones of Parr’s opinions indiscernible amid the din, which she would typically find soothing regardless of the absence of words felt hollow and menacing with her low-pitched timbre. 

Anna’s breath caught in her throat when those rich, indistinguishable intonations began to increase in volume and form coherent, unambiguous words and statements. Beneath her iron grip around herself, she could feel her heartbeat drumming a too quick tempo in each limb. Her pulse crescendoing in her ears, it overwhelmed everything but the sound of that deep, honeyed voice heading in her direction.

“Hey, we were just looking for you, you know,” Parr whispered in her usual mellow demeanor, tapping the arm of the chair as she walked around to face Anna. “Are you alright?”

Anna could only nod her response before dropping her chin to her chest, not trusting that she would be able to hold everything together just yet. Thankful for the bright lights of the kitchen which had kept her from seeing her with clarity, the brief moments it took for Parr’s eyes to adjust gave Anna just enough time to brace herself, feigning a half-asleep demeanor of relaxation. She even managed a small upturn at the corners of her mouth, more a grimace than a smile, but enough to fool Parr in the dim evening light.

“You should have heard what Boleyn got up to today,” Parr began before trailing off, catching on to the sight in front of her. Slowly lowering herself down to the ground, she sat cross-legged at Anna’s feet. Reaching out, she laid a comforting hand against Anna’s knee. Anna had to school her reaction, biting her lip instead of jumping at the contact. The taste of copper flooded her mouth. “I’ll let Katherine tell you. Her Boleyn impression has become quite impressive.” Parr continued cheerfully.

She gave Parr a soft hum in response before making as if she was interested. “Looking forward to hearing that one,” she faked a laugh and flashed another grimace. Parr didn’t appear to detect any of the falsity of her words.

“You used to do this before, too, sitting out on your own” Parr acknowledged, angling her head to catch Anna’s gaze. “I never learned why.” She gave Anna one of her dazzling smiles, exuding light-hearted curiosity.

Anna gave her an evasive shrug of one shoulder, breaking eye contact with her to watch a bird hop from branch to branch in a nearby bush. Parr wouldn’t understand why she did it. None of the girls ever would. “Just like to reflect on my day a bit. Process what has happened.” 

“I’ll leave you to get on with it then,” Parr said, once again patting Anna’s knee. She stopped, fleetingly, when Anna was unable to control her reaction to the touch, but continued back toward the door without comment.

Anna watched her rejoin the rest of the girls in their antics. It was where she belonged, surrounded by those that loved her, illuminated and vivid. Anna wasn’t made for that world. Hers was out in the fading glow of the last rays of the sun. Adjacent to a world she would never quite belong to, aching in every part of her to be included in, she would stay at the fringes of those moments. 

She had learned what can happen when people chip away at the bricks painstakingly built to towering heights, finding faults within the mortar to exploit and bring the carefully constructed fortifications crashing down. 

Even just one clandestine person breaching the walls can be found and used against you.

Katherine’s laughter rang out again into the chilled air as if no time had passed since they had last spun each other around on the ballroom floor. Anna flinched, willing her mind to go anywhere else.

When the cracks become too deep and the heart reigns free, you’re left with nothing and no one in the end. Not even yourself. 

She wouldn’t allow those barricades to be fractured again.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "But when you care for someone they can be used against you."


End file.
